Whiteout
by Theresalwaysacatch
Summary: Roxas has a messed-up, convoluted past and even he doesn't know all the details of it. Hopefully these therapy sessions with Aerith will help him start feeling human again. AU.


**Don't own any characters; they belong to Square Enix.  
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**If you can believe it, this was originally supposed to be a one shot. But it's probably gonna be a multichapter story. I can't make any promises for updates, as Standoff (another multi-chapter story I'm working on; give it a shot if you like this one) takes precedence for now. I do want to tentatively say at least once every two weeks, though.**

**Anyway, on to the story! Please enjoy and review!**

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oooooooooo

He examined all the things around him from his comfortable seat in the comfortable chair: The old time-ey clock 'tick...tick...tick...tick'; the long list of classic novels in the bookshelf (did he see Peter Pan there? He'd have to borrow it, just once); Underneath his feet, the red and white and red and white and red and white pattern in the dusty carpet that had one stain riiiight beneath his left foot. He focused on all these things, hyperfocused on all these things, to avoid looking at the pretty, brown-haired woman in front of him.

"...Roxas," she said. But Roxas was no longer there, no. Roxas was miles underneath the surface of the carpet, underneath the layers of dust that covered the interwoven layers and layers of red and white and red and white which lay atop the layers and layers and layers of pipes that almost surely lay above the tunnels of sewage that held his and her shit and piss. The thought disgusted him. "...Roxas-" Aerith repeated.

His eyes darted from left to right. And his mouth muttered "I'm gonna be sick" as his legs jumped up and ran for the bathroom.

**oooooooooo**

Aerith stared at Roxas' back as he left at the end of the appointment. This would almost certainly be one of her hardest cases. Aside from not talking to her the entire session, he never once even looked at her the whole time he was there. He had to run to the bathroom to vomit twice in one hour. His eyes held some strange mix of emotions even she didn't recognize. She wondered how much the kid had gone through.

She wanted badly to help him. But she could tell that would pose a challenge. Aerith sighed. It was a good thing he was her last appointment each week.

Glancing at her watch, she frowned. Zack and home would have to wait. She needed to look at Roxas' file for a hour or two. Next time, she would be ready for him.

**oooooooooo**

A week later, in the same spot, in the same room. No more dust. And...and no more red and white and red and white carpet. Goodbye dust. Goodbye red and white. I'll miss you. I really will. I'll miss you so much I'll start screaming if you don't come back soon..If you-

"I changed the room around a little, I hope you don't mind." Aerith smiled. But, looking at Roxas' face her expression changed to-what was it-sadness? Fear? He couldn't tell. He hadn't ever been good at that sort of thing. He had never- "If there's a problem with that..." she continued.

Roxas, who had been gnawing on his fist 'til that moment, pulled his hand from his mouth. "Yes. Please...bring back the, uh...carpet."

Talking. He smiled. Talking was good. It pulled him out of his mind for a while. Although, it wasn't easy for him. He struggled just now to call the carpet a carpet, and not red and white. Red and whi-

"So!" Aerith said rather loudly, snapping Roxas out of his head again. "Why don't we talk about school? Tell me the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Destiny Middle."

"White."

"Alright, and what do you mean by white?"

"The halls and floors and rooms. The cafeteria is white. Most of the students, they're white. I'm white, too. There's white in my clothes. And he always wears a white labcoat-"

"Okay. Who is 'he,' Roxas?"

Roxas shook his head "Don't wanna talk about him."

"Why don't you want to talk about him? Was he your friend? Did you dislike him?"

"Don't wanna talk about him." Roxas shook his head. Kept shaking his head. The same thing he did when the man in white-

"Okay. How 'bout we talk about something different for now?" Aerith asked. When Roxas nodded, she continued. "You were a good student. It said on your transcript that you graduated from Middle School third in your class." Roxas nodded again. "How did you do that? Did you work hard? Did you read often?"

Roxas started smiling. He opened his mouth, then closed it, then opened it again. "I'm...smart."

"Alright. How did you study for tests?"

"I..uh...I'd just start reading the textbook, then I'd find something interesting, so I'd look it up online, then I'd find something else, so I'd look that up...but then Ven would remind me 'read the textbook first'; that's what he'd always say. Read the textbook first. He'd make me finish reading. I'm good at focusing on little things so I learned a lot just reading-"

"Did you learn in class?"

"...No. Nope. Well, I didn't learn the subjects in class. I can't-it's hard for me to focus for a long time."

"You lose interest in things quickly?"

"No. I find interest in other things quickly and then I get sidetracked. I just need someone to remind me to focus. Like Ven. Or...or the-" man in white. The man in white...

**oooooooooo**

Roxas kept muttering something to himself. Oh no. She'd lost him again. "Roxas," Aerith said. "Roxas!" Nothing. She reached over to touch him on the shoulder, and he jumped. "...Roxas, it said in your file that you have some medication you should be taking."

Roxas nodded, then looked down. "I have an alarm for it, but I usually get sidetracked and forget to take it."

"How about this?" Aerith said. "Put your pills next to your phone, and I'll give you a call every day to remind you. Does that sound okay?"

Roxas nodded, but still looked at his feet.

"Roxas, did I say something to upset you?"

Roxas shook his head. "I have to work, now. I work at home. It's better. Better than working at the plant. When I see something interesting I can look it up and no one will yell at me." Roxas jumped up before Aerith could respond, and ran out the door.

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**So...weird story I know. Roxas is kinda ooc right now (which was a stupid idea on my part since he's one of the best characters), but don't worry; after he takes his medication, he turn back into the Roxas we all know and love. The poor, abused Roxas we all know and love.**

**Btw, what he has is wayyy worse than ADD. I'll go into it in later chapters.  
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**Hope you liked it! Please Review!**


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